Recent News

Endangered turtle returns to ocean
Tuesday, July 19, 2016

Exactly 200 days after two fishermen found her bobbing aimlessly off the North Shore and gasping for every breath, Daisy the loggerhead turtle has been returned to the open ocean.


Shedding light on mysteries of deep
Tuesday, July 19, 2016

A deep ocean research mission is set to begin off the coast of Bermuda tomorrow


Financial boost for marine research project
Saturday, July 16, 2016

A global marine research project that will begin in Bermuda has received its first financial donation from a local firm.


Ocean Tech Initiative Receives Local Support
Wednesday, July 13, 2016

Only one week after launching Ocean Tech – a global marine research project to help save the world’s oceans – the team of scientists, conservationists and media specialists who are leading this ambitious endeavour have received their first local donations.


Snake captured in Sandys
Friday, July 08, 2016

Conservationists have warned of the disastrous consequences snakes could have on Bermuda’s wildlife after a species of kingsnake was captured in Sandys.



About

Governance
About Us
Newsletter
Latest News
Gift & Bookstore

Contact

General Inquiries

(441) 293-2727

info@bzs.bm


Latest News

All the latest updates and news from the Bermuda Aquarium, Museum, and Zoo, one of Bermuda's leading visitor attractions!

Pod of ten whales seen offshore
Royal Gazette
Saturday, April 07, 2018


Kevin Smith, Social Media Editor
Published Apr 7, 2018 at 8:00 am (Updated Apr 6, 2018 at 11:53 pm)
 


Two film-makers spotted a massive pod of whales off the coast of Bermuda.

Conor Outerbridge and Adam Johnson were out on the water to film humpback whales for their company when they came across the ten-strong group two miles off South West Breaker.

Mr Outerbridge told The Royal Gazette: “This is the first time I’ve seen ten whales at once. They do travel in a pod of ten, but I’ve just never seen it.

“In Bermuda, you always see a pod of two or three or like four if you’re lucky. Normally they’re spread out; normally you don’t see pods of ten whales.”

Mr Outerbridge, a professional photographer and videographer, has filmed whales five times.

RG_180407_1a.jpeg
A humpback about two miles off shore (Photograph by Conor Outerbridge)

The two were shooting video for their company, Marooned Clothing, a range with an environmental twist which also aims “to promote the protection of the ocean and cleaning up trash around Bermuda”.

Co-founder Mr Johnson said: “The whole concept is starting something in Bermuda, mainly promoting ocean awareness and to get the younger generation interested in protecting the ocean.”

However, Andrew Stevenson, who has been studying whales in Bermuda for 12 years, said a pod of ten humpback whales in these waters was not unusual.

Mr Stevenson, principal investigator for the Humpback Whale Project, which is backed by the Bermuda Zoological Society, said: “I see groups of 16, 14, seven, eight, nine.”

RG_180407_1b.jpeg
The pod of humpbacks about two miles off shore (Photograph by Conor Outerbridge)

“Yesterday was the biggest, there must have 25 whales and they’re closely packed together.”

He explained that whales in these groupings are “usually a female with a bunch of males competing for her attention” which are known as “rowdy groups”.

He added: “Sometimes it’s pretty relaxed, and sometimes, like yesterday, it’s very heated.It’s a lot of shoving and pushing and barging and hitting.

“It’s a competitive group, they’re trying to vie for the attention of the female but I’m not really sure why they’re doing it at this time of the year because it’s too late for the female to breed.”